It Ends Tonight
by NikChik-11
Summary: Can Lightning handle the worst night of his life? His father comes to town to settle the score, and Lightning's had about enough. [Humanized]
1. Chapter 1

_It Ends Tonight

* * *

_

Doc didn't know why, but he didn't like Bruce McQueen. Ever since he came into town, Doc didn't like him for some reason.

"Where's my son?" Bruce asked angrily.

"He's coming, he just went out for a little while." Doc snapped back, just as Lightning and Sally walked into the café.

When Lightning saw Bruce, his eyes widened, and he quickly looked from his dad to Doc. Bruce narrowed his eyes at Lightning, and Lightning went over and hugged his neck.

"H-Hey dad. How've you been?" He asked.

"I've been fine, he how about you show me to my room." Bruce suggested, but it sounded more like a command to Doc.

Lightning slowly nodded, and got up. He already knew what was coming. As soon as he got to his dad's door, Bruce roughly shoved him in, and started hitting him. He slapped him across the face, and Lightning cried out in pain. He felt the hot tears slowly rolling down his cheeks, and then felt his feet being lifted off the ground. Bruce had him up by the collar of his shirt. Then, he threw Lightning to the floor, and turned to leave.

"This isn't over." Bruce said menacingly, slamming the door behind him, leaving Lightning sitting, crying in the middle of the floor.

* * *

Doc thought that he heard someone yelling, and sure enough, he saw Bruce leaving his room, without Lightning. He knew that something wasn't right about Bruce, but he wasn't exactly sure what. He could only imagine what that brute was doing to that poor child. Of course, Lightning wasn't exactly a child, but still...

Just as Doc was running all these thoughts through his head, Lightning sort of half-limped into the café. The first thing Doc noticed, was a huge bruise on the side of Lightning's face.

"Where'd you get that bruise? You didn't have that a minute ago." Doc asked.

Lightning glanced over at Bruce, then gulped. "I ran into a lamp post, you know how clumsy I am." He replied, not taking his eyes off of Bruce.

Doc just stared at Lightning, and noticed that he wouldn't look him in the face. He would just look at his feet, and glance up every few seconds.

"Well, I want to see you in my office, you know, for a check-up." Doc said.

"But, Doc—" Lightning protested.

"No buts. Office, now." Doc said sternly.

Lightning sighed, and followed Doc out of the café, dreading what was coming next.

* * *

**Ok, I know what you're thinking. "Why does it have to be humanized?" Because it works that way! Ok? Not to sound mean… Oh, and I'm still working on Cars 3: Born Racer, I'm just a little stuck. Please review! Chapter 2 will be in tomorrow!**


	2. Chapter 2

_It Ends Tonight_

Doc slowly closed the door to his office, then turned to face Lightning.

"Lightning, you can talk to me about anything you need to talk about, you know that?" Doc asked.

"Uh, yea. Yea, I know." Lightning replied, a little startled by the question.

"That bruise sort of looks like a hand print." Doc said, examining him.

Doc touched Lightning's arm, and wasn't surprised to see him flinch. Lightning looked up at him with a look of guilt.

_What was that in his eyes… Fear? Yep, that's it. Fear. _Doc thought to himself.

Doc just put a hand on the boy's shoulder, and smiled at him.

"You tell me when you're ready."

Lightning nodded, and got up to leave.

* * *

"Hey Stickers, don't forget about our date tonight." Sally said, coming up and kissing his bruised cheek. He winced, but no one noticed.

"I won't, I won't." He replied, smiling.

He had something really special planned. A picnic under the stars, where he would propose to her. It was going to be perfect.

_I can't wait to see her face when I open up that little box._ Lightning thought with a smile.

A few hours later, Lightning was just sitting around a Flo's, when Bruce came over.

"Come with me." He said angrily.

Lightning got up and followed his dad into his car. Lightning didn't say a thing the whole drive. When he looked up, they were at Willy's Butte.

"Get out." Bruce said menacingly.

Lightning got out, and looked up at his dad.

"I'm going to teach to disobey me!" Bruce shouted, grabbing Lightning by the ankle.

He turned Lightning upside-down, and kicked him. Lightning cried out with every blow.

"You should have gotten that Piston Cup, like I told you to do!" He said, dragging Lightning over to the edge of the ridge. Lightning could see all of the cacti down there, and could only imagine what was about to happen.

He struggled, and his father dropped him. He grabbed the edge of a rock, and some how managed to pull himself back up.

"You're going to pay for that! You're going to go to Hell, you little creep!" Bruce shouted.

Just as Bruce said that, something in Lightning's mind snapped. He didn't know what it was, or why it snapped, but it did. He suddenly felt angry. He hated that man in front of him, and he wasn't going to die because of him.

"No, dad. Only one of us is going to Hell, and it isn't going to be me!" Lightning yelled, letting a fist fly up towards his father's nose.

Lightning saw it, the wild look in his father's eyes was gone. Replaced by fear. He watched his father fall to the ground, blood pouring down his face.

_What have I done?!_ Lightning thought, starting to panic.

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Lightning screamed, falling down beside his father.

Sheriff awoke with a jump. He thought that he had heard someone scream, down at Willy's Butte. He decided to call Doc, maybe he could help who ever had screamed.

He pulled out his cell phone, and dialed Doc's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Doc. I just heard a scream out towards Willy's, do you think that you could help me…?"

"Sure, I'll be right there." Doc said, already knowing who had screamed.

Doc got to Willy's Butte, to find Sheriff staring, open-mouthed at what he saw before him.

It was Lightning, rubbing his unconscious father's hand, muttering how sorry he was.

Doc gave Sheriff a look that told him to go back to the billboard, which he did.

Doc quietly sat down beside Lightning, and Lightning turned around.

"Doc, you've got to help me! T-Tell him it wasn't me that hit him! Tell-Tell him he hit a r-rock with his head! Please, Doc. Please! He'll…He'll kill me Doc! H-He'll kill me!" Lightning said hysterically.

Doc looked over at Bruce, and knew from instinct that he wasn't breathing.

"Lightning, I don't think you have to worry about him killing you." He said, making Lightning look up at him.

"Lightning, your father's dead."

Lightning just stared in disbelief at Doc. Doc could see that he was fighting back his tears. As a few rolled down his face, he quickly wiped them away.

Doc decide to give him a hug. He felt so sorry for him. But, instead of just letting Doc hug him, he hugged back. He embraced the hug, he clung to Doc as if he would fly away if he let go. Doc felt something wet on his shoulder, and knew that Lightning must be crying his poor, little heart out.

Lightning finally pulled away from Doc, offered him a weak smile, and said "Thanks, Doc."

Lightning's eyes were so blue at this moment, they looked like little ponds of water. Doc decided to take Lightning home.

"Hey, let's get you home. I'll come back and get him." Doc said, standing up.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Lightning cried, apparently he couldn't stand up.

"What's wrong?" Doc asked, coming back to help Lightning up.

"It's my foot." Lightning said, wincing in pain.

"You probably sprained an ankle, or something." Doc said, examining Lightning's foot.

"Here, lean on me."

And the two walked, side-by-side, to Doc's car.

**Hey, I know that's a stupid place to end a chapter, but I got tired of typing. Anyways, please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE????**


	3. Chapter 3

_It Ends Tonight_

Doc looked over at Lightning, wondering why he was being so quiet. He looked like the saddest person in the world. Doc understood why he was probably remaining silent, considering what had just happened…

"He killed her." Lightning said, staring out the window.

"Who?" Doc asked.

"My mom, he killed her." Lightning replied, now staring at the floorboard.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry." Doc said, wondering why Lightning had told him this.

"Doc, you said that I can talk to you about anything…right?" Lightning asked, looking up at him.

"Sure." Doc replied.

"Well, h-how come he doesn't want me?" Lightning asked, starting to get choked up.

"Lightning, it's ok. I don't know why anybody wouldn't want you." Doc said, clamping a hand on the boy's shoulder.

A few tears escaped from Lightning's eyes, and he quickly wiped them away with the back of his hand.

As soon as they pulled up to the Cozy Cone's parking lot, Lightning hugged Doc's neck.

"Thanks, Doc. For everything you've done for me."

Doc started to reply, when Sally came running out of the office, looking really angry about something. Lightning went pale, and exclaimed, "Oh no, our date!"

Sally quickly came over, and started to yell at him.

"Where the heck have you—" She stopped, mid-sentence, when she saw her boyfriend's tearstained face.

Then she gave Doc a confused face, "What…?"

"Sally, please help Lightning to his room. He can barely walk." He told her. "I'll come back in a minute with a brace for that ankle."

Sally took Lightning's arm and helped him as she was told to do. She got in Lightning's living room, and helped him onto the sofa.

"I'll be right back." She said, heading toward the bathroom.

She came back with a warm, wet washcloth, and started to wash Lightning's face. Then she started to wash his fist, which he noticed was covered in blood. He could tell that she was angry, but she was trying to hide it.

"Sally, I'm really—" He started.

"Don't say your sorry." She stated.

"But, it was my dad, he—"

"What? Got in a friendly fight with you, and beat you up?" She asked angrily.

"Huh? No! You got it all wrong, Sal. He—"

"Lightning, how could you stand me up like that?!" She yelled at him.

"You think that I wanted to?!" Lightning yelled back, startling Sally. "This was supposed to be the best night of our lives! Sally, I was going to propose to you!"

With that, he took a small, blue box out of his pocket.

"Do you think that I wanted to stand you up, and get thrown out into a cacti patch to die?!" He shouted, a few stray tears running down his face.

Sally just looked at him in disbelief. She didn't know that Lightning was being abused. She didn't know that he was going to propose to her. She was pretty much clueless. She looked up to Lightning, to see him crying even harder, shaking all over.

"That stupid idiot's ruined my life." He said, angrily throwing the box to the floor.

He just wanted to be alone right now. Forgetting his injury, he got up and hobbled to his room. He locked the door, and leaned his back against it. He slowly sank to the floor, burying his face in his hands.

"Lightning?" Lightning heard, realizing that Sally was still there.

"Go away." He said, sniffling.

"I want to talk." Sally said through the door.

"Well, I don't."

"Please?" She pleaded.

"Later." Lightning said, hoping that she'd just give up and leave him alone.

"Lightning, let me come in." She said, trying the doorknob.

Lightning finally caved in, and unlocked the door. Sally came in, and sat down on the floor beside him. She had the blue box in her hand.

"I'm sorry." Sally said. "You must have went through a lot."

Lightning sighed, and looked up at her. "H-He beat me every day that I was with him, and I threw one punch, and wound up killing him."

"Lightning, it'll be alright. It's all over now." She said reassuringly.

Lightning just looked at his feet, then glanced up at Sally, and noticed the box in her hand.

"Would you have said yes?" He asked.

"Huh? What do you—" Sally started.

"You know, if I would have proposed." Lightning said, smiling a very weak smile.

Sally thought for a moment, then smiled back at him. "Yes, I would have."

Lightning smiled even bigger. "Ok then, will you marry me?"

* * *

**Whooopeee. That was sweet. Look back tomorrow for chapter 4, k? Now, click the little blue button. You know you want to… **

**Holy Goooshe! Lol 8c!**


	4. Chapter 4

_It Ends Tonight_

"You probably just had the worst night of your entire life, and you pick this moment to propose to me?" Sally asked with a laugh. "Of course I'll marry you."

Lightning took the small box from Sally, and opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.

"Any moment will be right to me." He said, smiling slyly at her.

He took the ring, and put it on her finger. Sally just stared breathlessly at it. She looked back up at Lightning, to see him looking back down at the floor.

"What's wrong? That was really sweet, you should be happy." Sally said, rubbing his hand gently.

"I'm still worried, I mean, I just killed the only family that I had left." Lightning said quietly.

"You forget, Lightning. You have a whole new family right here, all who care deeply about you." Sally said, holding Lightning's hand.

Lightning looked up at her, a small smile spreading on his lips.

"How do you make everything sound better?" He asked, gripping her hand even tighter.

Sally laid back on Lightning's shoulder, and Lightning winced. "Oh! I'm sorry, did that hurt?"

"Just a little, I'm just sore." Lightning said, laying his head on Sally's lap. "I'm really exhausted." He said, yawning.

Sally started to stroke Lightning's hair, when there was a knock on the door. Lightning sat up, and Sally went to answer it. She opened the door to find Doc, looking really nervous about something.

"Lightning, he's gone!" Doc said.

"What?" Lightning said, getting pale.

"Bruce! I went back to go get him, and he and his car were gone!"

Lightning looked at Sally, then back at Doc. He couldn't believe it. His father was alive, loose, and dangerous…

* * *

**What's going to happen??? I don't know, I haven't thought of it, yet. Could ya'll give me some suggestions? I might use them if I get some. Please Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

_It Ends Tonight_

"Doc, please. Tell me you're kidding." Lightning said, still on the floor.

Doc came over to Lightning and sat down beside him.

"I'm afraid not, son." He said.

"B-But, Doc. He w-wants to _kill_ me!" Lightning exclaimed, shaking his head.

"I know, but there's nothing else that we can do. Sheriff's got a search party out as we speak, but other than that, you're just going to have to look out." Doc said, putting his hand on the boy's back.

"Doc, are you sure that he's really gone?" Sally asked.

"Yes. He's not there. Either he wasn't dead, or somebody came and got him." Doc replied.

"Doc, I-I'm scared." Lightning said, looking up at the older man.

"I would be, too. Just calm down, and try to get some sleep." Doc said, starting to get up.

"Do you want me to stay over?" Sally asked Lightning, getting a look from Doc. "Oh, not like _that_, Doc. Just so he won't be alone." She added, rolling her eyes.

"Yea, ok, Sal." Lightning said, trying to get up. "Um, could you…?"

"Oh, yes, of course." She said, helping him stand up.

"You two watch out now, I'll be keeping a look out. Night." Doc said, leaving Lightning's room.

When Doc left the room, Sally turned back to Lightning. "Is he really that dangerous?"

Lightning just sadly nodded his head, then limped over to the couch, and sat down.

"You look really tired… Do you want to go to sleep? I can stay awake, if you want—" She said, sitting down beside him.

"No, I can't possibly sleep, with all that's going on." He said, yawning.

Sally decided to put a movie on, and it wasn't long before Lightning fell asleep. She looked back at the movie, and felt herself start to nod off.

* * *

Sally woke abruptly to someone rapping on the window. She quickly started to tap Lightning on the shoulder.

"Stickers! Stickers, wake up!" She whispered.

Lightning bolted awake, and looked wildly around the room. He quickly relaxed when he saw where he was, and who he was with.

"Stickers, I heard something by the window."

Lightning looked over at the window, and picked up the phone beside the couch. He dialed a number, and put the receiver up to his ear.

"Doc, yea, Sally heard a noise. Ok, see you in a minute." He hung up, and turned to Sally.

"Doc will be here in a minute."

They sat together in silence for awhile, Lightning's mind spinning.

_He wants to kill me. Me, his one and only son._

_Screw him._

_I have a new family, a family who loves me, a family who cares about me._

"WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!?!?"

Lightning's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a large crash, and someone screaming. Forgetting his injury, he leapt up, and sprinted to the door, Sally following.

Lightning wasn't ready for what he saw next. There, laying unconscious on the ground, was Sheriff. He had blood all over his face, making Lightning sick to his stomach to see.

"I'M GONNA KILL HIM!!!" Lightning turned around to see Doc, with Bruce in a head-lock.

Bruce struggled out of Doc's grip, and ran toward Lightning. Lightning dodged him, and fell to the ground, clutching his sprained ankle.

Bruce turned around, and ran for another attack. Lightning covered his head with his arms, preparing for the impact. But it never came. He looked up, only to see Doc wrestling down his father.

Bruce blindly threw up punches, but missed every time. Doc threw a punch, about the same time as Bruce did. They hit each other at the same time, Doc knocking Bruce out.

Doc got up, wobbling slightly, and picked up Sheriff's gun. He pulled the trigger and shot Bruce in the chest, then fell to the ground with a _thud_.

* * *

Lightning still couldn't believe what had just happened. They were at the nearest hospital that they could find, and Lightning was just sitting in the waiting room. Alone. Everyone else was in Doc and Sheriff's room. He was just staring at the wall, when Sally came in and sat beside him.

"You don't want to visit him?" She asked.

"I-It's my fault, Sally. I can't stand to see him like that."

"It's not your fault, he wanted to help you." She said, wiping away the tears that had started to fall from Lightning's eyes. "Please go and see him? He's in a coma right now, but maybe hearing your voice would help him."

"I'll try." Lightning said, as Sally helped him get up.

Lightning limped quietly into the room. Everyone was either talking about what had happened, or watching Doc and Sheriff. He limped into the room, glanced at Doc, then quickly turned back to Sally.

"I c-can't do this."

"Yes, you can." Sally said, running her hand soothingly through his hair. "Now, go."

Lightning sighed, and turned back around. He went over to Doc's bedside, and took the elderly man's hand.

"Doc, please. Don't leave us. I-I'm…sorry, just please, please don't leave us." He said, his tears running freely down his face. He heard sniffles around him, and knew that the others must be crying, too. Sally, rubbed his back gently as he turned around to leave.

"W-Who said t-that I'm going a-anywhere?" someone said from behind him.

He turned back around, to see Doc, smiling weakly at him.

"Doc! You're…You're awake!" Lightning said, gently hugging the older man.

"I'm not going anywhere." Doc said, smiling even bigger at the boy.

"Well, I'll be…" Flo started.

"Weeehooo! He's awake!" Mater exclaimed.

Sally just gave Lightning an, I-told-you-so look. Lightning wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand, and said, "This has got to be the happiest day of my life."

"Ahem." Sally said, raising her brow to Lightning. "Did you forget something, Mr. Fiancé?"

"Fiancé?!" Everyone asked.

"Uhhh, did I forget to mention that?" Lightning asked, blushing slightly.

Everyone laughed, including Doc.

"Well, congratulations, bud!" Mater exclaimed. "You're getting' hitched!"

Lightning looked back over at Doc, and saw that he was crying.

"What's the matter, Doc?" Lightning asked, concerned.

"I'm just so happy for you, son." Doc replied.

Lightning smiled and the older man, then went up and hugged him.

"Thank you. Thanks for everything. If it wasn't for you…well, I wouldn't be here right now." He said, a few tears of his own escaping his eyes.

"No, Lightning. Thank you. If it wasn't for you, Nobody would have found out who I really was." Doc said, hugging him back.

"Well, I guess we're both welcomed." Lightning said, laughing.

"I guess so." Doc said, chuckling. He hugged the boy even tighter, then pulled away, only to see Lightning, tears pouring down his face.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I can't believe it's finally over." Lightning said, smiling through his tears. "He's gone, and I have a real family now…"

_Your subtleties  
They strangle me  
I can't explain myself at all.  
And all the wants  
And all the needs  
All I don't want to need at all._

_The walls start breathing  
My mind's unweaving  
Maybe it's best you leave me alone.  
A weight is lifted  
On this evening  
I give the final blow._

_When darkness turns to light,  
It ends tonight  
It ends tonight._

_A falling star  
Least I fall alone.  
I can't explain what you can't explain.  
You're finding things that you didn't know  
I look at you with such disdain_

_The walls start breathing  
My mind's unweaving  
Maybe it's best you leave me alone.  
A weight is lifted  
On this evening  
I give the final blow._

_When darkness turns to light  
It ends tonight,  
It ends tonight.  
Just a little insight won't make this right  
It's too late to fight  
It ends tonight,  
It ends tonight._

_Now I'm on my own side  
It's better than being on your side  
It's my fault when you're blind  
It's better that I see it through your eyes_

_All these thoughts locked inside  
Now you're the first to know_

_When darkness turns to light  
It ends tonight,  
It ends tonight.  
Just a little insight won't make this right  
It's too late to fight  
It ends tonight,  
It ends_

_When darkness turns to light  
It ends tonight,  
It ends tonight.  
Just a little insight won't make this right  
It's too late to fight  
It ends tonight,  
It ends tonight._

_Tonight  
Insight  
When darkness turns to light,  
It ends tonight._

_The End_

**Aww, wasn't that sweet? Please Review!!!! Oh, thanks for the idea, The Ravens Revenge! I owe you one. ;)**


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